Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: mthrockmor on October 18, 2012, 03:07:41 PM
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I did a little search and could not find anything so here it is...
What are the primary pros and cons between these two birds?
I know the A8 has the heavier gun package, which I am told is great for buff killing.
I also know the A8 has a more powerful engine, though it also weighs more which leads to little gain in speed, slightly less in climb rate and a diminished turn rate (which is bad enough in the 190 series, why make it worse.)
Roll and dive rate likely the same, both exceptional.
What are other key differences in the flight envelope I should consider?
Boo
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The A-5 is far more agile and is far more forgiving than the A-8. The A-5 climbs better, is faster at all altitudes in both Mil power and WEP, I've not actually tested it but I do feel the A-5 accelerates better as well. The only real advantage the A-8 has is an option for adding dual 30mm and have quad 20mm with plenty of ammo for all 4 guns (the A-5 offer quad 20mm but only 60rds in outboard 2 guns). Oh, and the upgrade from 7.9mm MG's to 13mm MG's.
Dare I even make this a point? The A-5 can actually turn at medium speeds, those P47's and P38's have nothing on an A5! :lol
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The A-8 (and F-8) models that we have in the game have some of the best armor/durability of any of the 190 series. They're both, as a consequence, a bit overweight and gainly. There were other A-8 models in RL that didn't have nearly so much armor and aditional weight btw, the one we have was specificly designed as a heavy-armed, heavy-armored, high-altitude capable bomber interceptor. You can lighten up its armament but it still maintains some panalties that other and lighter fighter-interceptor A8s didn't have to deal with), there were litteraly dozens of A/F/G 8-series varients that made it into production.
If I'm going to be in a knife fight, I like the A-5 or D-9.
If I'm intercepting buffs I'll take the A-8 with cannons and 100%-75% internal fuel (I rarely need its DT) for up to 24/27k. Higher than that, it's time for the 152.
If I'm attacking a base or GV front then the A-8 is a great deacker while the shaped-charge rockets of the F-8 are extremely effective when used right and sparingly or even broadly in massive salvos (and you get 12 of them!). The rockets on the A8 are capable of being useful against ground targets, but are most effective against enemy buff formations (and you only get 2 of them).
The A-5 varient that we have is really a fighter interceptor for the most part. You can take the extra cannons but note that they are the older 20mms that have poorer ballistics and even poorer amounts of ammo to be worth taking most the time. If you do engage in attacking a bomber, you lack the increased armor protection on your forward exposed surfaces that the A8 has to protect itself from exposed defensive fire.
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Thanks for both responses. Great info and somewhat I expected.
Boo
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The A-5 climbs better, is faster at all altitudes in both Mil power and WEP, I've not actually tested it but I do feel the A-5 accelerates better as well.
The A-8 is significantly faster near the deck, and slightly faster at medium altitudes. A tip about acceleration: Climbing and acceleration is directly linked. Both are using the surplus engine power to increase the aircraft's speed, in the horizontal or vertical plane. A good climber will also be good at acceleration.
(http://www.hitechcreations.com/components/com_ahplaneperf/genchart.php?p1=23&p2=9&pw=1>ype=0&gui=localhost&itemsel=GameData)
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The A-8 is significantly faster near the deck, and slightly faster at medium altitudes. A tip about acceleration: Climbing and acceleration is directly linked. Both are using the surplus engine power to increase the aircraft's speed, in the horizontal or vertical plane. A good climber will also be good at acceleration.
(http://www.hitechcreations.com/components/com_ahplaneperf/genchart.php?p1=23&p2=9&pw=1>ype=0&gui=localhost&itemsel=GameData)
I stand corrected. However, I dare say that the differences between the 2 planes on the deck is 5mph TAS with WEP, then by 2500 ft the advantage goes back to the A-5 until 11k, from there it is essentially the same in terms of WEP performance until 20k then the A-5 pulls away again. In MIL power the A-5 has the advantage throughout.
I'm not an aeronautical physicist in any sense, but doesn't wing design play a large part in an aircraft's ability to climb? Case in point: the Typhoon has a great engine but it fights horrible torque and a bad wing design. It accelerates with the best of them in maneuvers, etc, but I'm not thinking it climbs like it could if it has a better wing design. I'm more curious, I'm don't challenge much outside of what I know of the Cessna 150 I'm familiar with. :D
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It accelerates with the best of them in maneuvers, etc, but I'm not thinking it climbs like it could if it has a better wing design.
The Typhoon has a mediocre accelleration in level flight. 150-200 accelleration in AH is 9.7s, only minimally quicker than the P-51D at 10.0. No surprise that their climb rate at sea level is almost identicaly as well. See here how sea level climb rate and level flight accelerations match in 3 very different planes: http://www.gonzoville.com/ahcharts/index.php?p1=typh&p2=p51d&p3=a6m5
The only thing I don't fully understand is why the OP is always starting this kind of threads in the off-topic O-Club forum instead of Aircraft&Vehicles. ;)
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The only thing I don't fully understand is why the OP is always starting this kind of threads in the off-topic O-Club forum instead of Aircraft&Vehicles. ;)
Doesn't this seem like the perfect subject to head to the O'Club, get some brews, kick up your boots on a table and start flying planes with your hands talking about what works and doesn't? Plus, I get the sense that more people read through the O'Club then the techno-thread, but that's just me. So while the rest of us are flying planes with our hands, boots on the table, along comes the snailman with his calculator. Pull up a chair, we've been waiting for you.
Boo
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I stand corrected. However, I dare say that the differences between the 2 planes on the deck is 5mph TAS with WEP...
10 mph difference on the deck. Same difference as between the P-51D and La-7.